What’s the Common Denominator?

October 10, 2018

What’s the Common Denominator?

The meme, “October is my favorite color”, perfectly states how many perceive this fantastic month and kickoff to fall. It also marks the observance of many important topics in the world of behavioral health: National Substance Use Prevention Month, Red Ribbon Week, National Teen Driver Safety Week, SADD’s Rock the Belt Campaign, National Bullying Prevention Month, National Depression Screening Day, and the National DEA Drug Take Back Day on October 27.

Why would all these observances fall together? Is there a common denominator?

Everyone remembers the busy work assignments we had in grade school where you matched the word with the synonym or definition. Can you match these social/behavioral issues with the correct implication?

As you can tell, there is no answer key to this worksheet! It doesn’t really matter which came first, they are debilitating, life-altering, and sometimes the permanently damaging ancillary effects of substance use.

However, the real common denominator for all these societal afflictions is prevention; increasing protective factors while decreasing risk factors. Is your community taking a multi-thronged approach to improving its behavioral health and reducing substance use? Join us for the Prevention Conference to find out how!

2018 Substance Use Prevention Conference

August 30, 2018

The Good News is that Prevention Works!

90% of Substance Use Disorders begin in the teen years.

2018 Substance Use Prevention Conference

Calling all Prevention Specialists, Registered Coalition Staff and Volunteers, Educators, Counselors, School Resource Officers, Law Enforcement Officers, Parents, SADD Sponsors, Faith-Based, Peer Support Specialists, Behavioral Health professionals, and anyone else who serves children and youth!

Check Out These Stats!

Enjoyment Factor!

88.5% or respondents scored their experience at the conference as “Very Satisfied” or “Satisfied”

So Worth It!

95.5% are “Very Likely” or “Likely” to attend the conference again.

Contact Hours!

We awarded over 882 contact hours to attendees for Prevention Workforce Development!

Who Attends?

Who is the Audience for
the Prevention Conference?

Last year, 36% of our attendees were coalition members! The rest included: Prevention Specialists, Counselors, Educators, Faith based, Law Enforcement Officers, Public Health Educators, Peer Support Specialists, SADD Members, and Behavioral Health professionals; to name a few.

And The Winner Is. . .

Don’t miss out on an opportunity to honor some amazing people and achievements from our field!

Who will be this year’s:

Coalition of the Year?

Milestone Achievement Coalition?

Champion of Change for Prevention?

Attend our Award Ceremony during lunch on Wednesday to celebrate some of Missouri’s prevention achievements

Ask Our Prevention Conference Alumni

Get ready to be agents of change in your community! Help keep our youth alcohol and drug free by attending our Conference! Join us for three days of networking with others and learning from experts about substance use prevention, resiliency, coalition building techniques, social media and marketing, grass roots mobilizing and advocacy, the latest information and resources on behavioral Health, and much more!

Don’t take our word for it; read what some of last year’s conference attendees said!

Met lots of wonderful people and learned about new programs and ideas to build coalition.

I truly felt that this year every session I attended was valuable to my work, and even my personal life.

I was amazed at the level of knowledge speakers have about substance use prevention and how it applies across the continuum of working with youth and families in the school setting.

The education opportunities were beyond my expectations. I only wish I could have attended more breakout sessions. I am so sorry I did miss some.
Not enough time to do it all.

Only $70

Registration for our conference is only $70.00!

Attendees can earn up to 16 Contact Hours; CHES hours pending! Our new online Contact Hour Application makes it easy to clock your hours and print your certificate at your convenience.

2018 Legislative Recap

May 23, 2018

During the 2018 Legislative Session, ACT Missouri tracked 67 substance use/behavioral health bills. Out of the thousands that were filed, only 148 made it to the finish line, were “Truly Agreed to and Finally Passed”, and will now be sent to the Governor to sign into law.

SB 718

SB 718 modifies provisions relating to maintenance medication filled by a pharmacist. It contains many other facets including the medical use of hemp extract, drug take back programs, discontinuation of using patient satisfaction scores regarding pain, increasing insurance coverage of Medication Assisted Recovery, and designating 2018-2028 as the Show-Me Freedom from Opioid Addiction Decade. SB 826 modifies provisions relating to pharmacy, including drug disposal, prescription limitations for controlled substances, and vaccine protocols.

If you are interested in the Department of Mental Health’s appropriation information, click below.

ACT Missouri would like to thank you for your advocacy efforts, both at home and at the dome. Please remember that the best time to build rapport with your legislators is when they are in their local districts. Meet with them, explain the importance of prevention and behavioral health policies, and demonstrate how your community is reducing youth substance use!

What, Exactly, is Prevention?

May 10, 2018

For eight years, I have joined the many professional and volunteer Preventionists in trying to explain what we do to the general public. Some common, brow-raised reactions include: “Drug prevention? You mean like DARE?”, “Prevention is a thing?”, “Oh I know, Red Ribbon Week!” or my favorite of all time, “You’re against alcohol?”

In 1735, Benjamin Franklin’s famous quote about fire precaution became “a thing” when he said, “An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure”. Many great American accomplishments and life-saving techniques were created with his creed in mind: forest and house fires, crimes, cancer, diabetes, safety, child abuse, and tooth decay to name a few. Finally, about 255 years later, as our communities were grappling with the devastation of Substance Use Disorders, falling short on resources for treatment, and discovering that this particular disease targets teens; substance use prevention was born.

To sum it up in one sentence, prevention efforts seek to increase protective factors and resiliency among youth by decreasing risk factors associated with initiating substance use. This is what we do! Missouri’s Prevention infrastructure is extremely successful because it allocates the resources, capacity building, and decision-making power to individual communities to address their unique needs.

On Monday, May 14, communities will kick off their celebrations of SAMHSA’s National Prevention Week; an annual health observance dedicated to increasing public awareness of, and action around, the importance of SU prevention and positive mental health.

Please join us and use this week to hone your prevention skills, learn the latest information, and help our communities thrive with “Action Today. Healthier Tomorrow”.

ACT Missouri proudly announces our 2018 Outstanding Youth Prevention Award Recipients!

April 5, 2018

At the Speak Hard Youth Conference, ACT Missouri and the Division of Behavioral Health honored some of our state’s most active and vocal prevention leaders. Each of them received a plaque and a Senate or House Courtesy Resolution at the ceremony in the Capitol’s Rotunda.

Paige Anderson and Jennifer Hassler, from the Council for Drug Free Youth Coalition received the award for their exemplary involvement and service in prevention. Paige is a student at Calvary Lutheran High School where she serves as the school’s SADD Secretary and assisted with Safe and Sober, It Only Takes One, Red Ribbon Week, and Suicide Prevention week. She is a member of the Inklings Writing Club, Key Club, Future Teachers of America, LOGOS, GPSFLife, and FFA. She lettered in Drama Productions and received the Earth Science and Ag Science Award.

Jennifer is a student at Helias Catholic High School where she is an active member and President of 4-H, the varsity archery team, head sports photographer, wrestling cheerleader, and Editor in Chief of the school’s newspaper. She is a Kids for Wish Kids member and has granted the wish of a sick child by raising $5,000. She is often seen distributing food at the local mobile food pantry and serving meals at Trinity Lutheran church. Jennifer is also an active member of the group supporting Operation Bugle Boy and our veterans. Both students received a Senate Resolution from Senator Kehoe in his office.

Two of the winners are members of the Jefferson County Drug Prevention Coalition. Shelby Coleman, from Fox High School, is active in the Jefferson County Teen Advisory Board (TAB), Honor Integrity Inclusion and Pride (HIIP), DECA, and National Honor Society. She won the Mental Health Advocates’ Leadership Excellence Award at Missouri DECA State Career Development Conference. She aspires to be the best person she can be, chooses a drug-free lifestyle, and is an excellent student and role model.

Brittany Dake is active in the Jefferson County Teen Advisory Board, Windsor SADD, and Girl Scouts. She has attended Speak Hard, Teen Institute and was an intern at NCADA’s Prevention Leadership Conference. She is a CADCA certified trainer for Scholastic’s Over-the-Counter Medicine Safety Program. She volunteered with the Youth Cardboard Box Challenge other various work with her school, extra-curricular activities, and church. Both students were presented Senate Courtesy Resolutions from Senator Wieland in his office.

Winners from the Morgan County CLEAR Coalition were Anna Knoerle and Grace Unger. Anna began work with Morgan County CLEAR as an eighth grader and won their contest with her poster, “Keep on Jokin, Don’t Start Smokin”; which was used throughout the county to reduce tobacco use. She is actively involved with Tobacco Free Youth and attended their Youth Summit. She delivered prevention messages to peers during National Drug and Alcohol Facts Week and Smoke-Free Indoor Air programs to middle school students, Head Start parents, and other community groups. She presented “Youth Led School/Community Health Change” at the Missouri School Consolidated Health Conference. She is a SADD Officer, member of the Chamber Choir, Distributive Education Clubs of America, Student Council, Fellowship of Christian Athletes, BETA, an A+ tutor, and her school’s softball, basketball, and track teams.

Grace Unger is a member of Morgan County Tobacco Free Youth, Morgan County C.L.E.A.R, and the Taking Down Tobacco project. She serves as her school’s Basketball Manager, Softball Manager, and was honored with the Community Theater’s Student of the Month, and Tobacco Free Missouri’s Outstanding Youth Leadership Award with the group. She is a passionate advocate that works hard to get the message out about the dangers of smoking and secondhand smoke. She is an outstanding speaker and is not afraid to share her fact-cited thoughts on the subject. Her strong will and determination will certainly assist in making the community smoke-free.

The Morgan County Tobacco Free Youth Coalition also received the award for their extraneous efforts to pass clean indoor air policies. Morgan County Tobacco Free Youth have been working for four years to educate about the risks of tobacco use and secondhand smoke and enact policy changes by: collecting signatures of support, distributing information, creating PSAs and posters, presenting to city council and mayors, collecting tobacco trash to demonstrate the scope of the problem, and conducting surveys. Several members developed and presented a session at the Annual Coordinated School Health Conference entitled, “Youth Lead School/Community Health Change”.

Representative David Wood attended the ceremony and provided House Courtesy Resolutions to Stover and Versailles High Schools for their smoke-free advocacy.

Five members of the Youth with Vision Coalition in North Kansas City were recipients of this prestigious award. Several received Courtesy Senate Resolutions from Senator Denny Hoskins, and Representative McGaugh presented her constituents with an official Missouri State Flag that had been flown over our Capitol.

Caitlyn Bohanan is the founder of her school’s Hornet Pride; a mentor/trading card program that connects high school students with middle elementary students to talk with them about good choices and staying drug free. She advocated with area Senators and Representatives about the effects and dangers of tobacco, prescription drugs, and the legalization of marijuana. She volunteered her time to perform retailer compliance checks and produced public service announcements. She is a volunteer coach for the Northland Chiefs Cheerleading Association, Synergy Domestic Violence Center, Gladstone Theater in the Park, and academic tutor for middle school and elementary students. She received the first youth “Leadership in Prevention” award at the annual Northland Prevention Conference and was selected for Fox 4’s “Reaching for Excellence” Young Achievers Feature. Representative Noel Shull provided House Courtesy Resolution in her honor.

Adones Eskew is also involved with Lawson’s Coalition in Action (CIA) and is passionate and dedicated to his school and community’s prevention efforts. He volunteered to attend the Northland Leadership Conference, Prevention Day, and the Northland Prevention Conference. Lawson’s CIA campaign, “How Full is Your Cup?” was a tremendous success and shared at the Northland Prevention Conference for other schools and organizations to learn from. He also has earned varsity letters for athletics and academic awards.

Piper Killingsworth is also an active member of Lawson’s Coalition in Action (CIA) and has been involved in her school and community’s prevention efforts. She volunteered to attend the Northland Leadership Conference, Prevention Day, and the Northland Prevention Conference. She participates in student leadership, countless clubs and school activities, and is the recipient of numerous academic and leadership awards; including college scholarships.

Jace Robinson has been a committed member and leader of Youth with Vision (YWV) for the past four years; currently serving as its Education Chair. He has also been a vocal advocate at the annual Prevention Day and other local events, speaking with state legislators on issues that impact youth. He has also worked on a variety of educational campaigns and PSAs, spreading the prevention message in the three-county area. He assists with YWV’s two annual fundraisers: Mud Mania and Bunco Mania. He is on the Varsity Soccer and Track teams and plays on a competitive club soccer team. His involvement in church includes serving as a Vacation Bible School helper, and he participated in the Missouri Chamber of Commerce Leadership in Practice Program.

Matthew Shafer joined YWV more than a year ago and attends monthly meetings and events. He attended Prevention Day at the Capitol and was a lead speaker; sharing our legislative priorities with our Representatives and Senators. He also volunteered his time and worked with his school to obtain permission to attend the Northland Prevention Conference in March 2018. Matthew is very active in his church and spends endless hours in volunteer and community service. He successfully completed and is certified as a paramedic and EMT as a senior in high school.

Alcohol Awareness Month

March 28, 2018

Each April since 1987, the National Council on Alcoholism and Drug Dependence, Inc. (NCADD) has sponsored Alcohol Awareness Month to increase public awareness and understanding, reduce stigma and encourage local communities to focus on alcoholism and alcohol-related issues.

With this year’s theme — “Changing Attitudes: It’s not a ‘rite of passage.’ ” — the month of April will be filled with local, state, and national events aimed at educating people about the treatment and prevention of alcoholism, particularly among our youth, and the important role that parents can play in giving kids a better understanding of the impact that alcohol can have on their lives.

To help you plan and develop your own 2018 Alcohol Awareness Month events we have prepared an Organizer’s Guide which you can download as a PDF.

Please share your events, stories and photos with us on Social Media!

Honoring Our Veterans

November 2, 2017

“The willingness with which our young people are likely to serve in any war, no matter how justified, shall be directly proportional to how they perceive veterans of earlier wars were treated and appreciated by our nation.” — George Washington

As we honor our nation’s heroes this week, the words of our first president still resonate today with astute clarity. We have made major improvements in how our veterans are treated and appreciated over the years, but as long as we have homeless, addicted, mentally ill, and incarcerated servicemen, this mission is far from complete.

This infographic provides a great snapshot of Missouri’s service members, veterans, and their families; representing 9.3% of our state’s population. It also demonstrates the work that still needs to be done to improve the quality of life for the military community. Several state departments are diligently collaborating and working to swing the troublesome pendulum towards the positive.

Veteran’s Treatment Courts are making impressive strides in getting some of our most vulnerable on the road to recovery. By utilizing volunteer veterans and active duty soldiers as mentors, our veterans feel open to discuss military specific issues and receive the special guidance they need. This model, which is nationally recognized, crosses the traditional jurisdictions of our state’s Courts and Probation offices.

There are currently 10 Veteran’s Treatment Courts active in Missouri; up from 1 since its inception in 2010. In 2016, 247 veterans received the substance use treatment they deserved and needed. Since 2010, the number of veterans served has increased significantly each year, and 706 of our soldiers struggling with substance use disorders have participated in the program.

For other behavioral health issues, our military families can access resources from the Department of Mental Health. These include self-assessment screening tools and information for children, traumatic brain injuries, substance use, sexual trauma, and PTSD. Download this fact sheet from the Division of Behavioral Health and the Missouri Behavioral Health Alliance.

At Make the Connection, they can find resources that connect veterans, their families and friends, and other supporters to information, stories, and solutions to issues affecting their lives as they transition from active duty. It also has information about the life events and experiences that are unique to this population.

President Obama exclaimed: “It’s about how we treat our veterans every single day of the year. It’s about making sure they have the care they need and the benefits that they’ve earned when they come home. It’s about serving all of you as well as you’ve served the United States of America”.

These book-end presidents’ words remind us all to do our part and take action to serve those that served us.

How Does Attending the Missouri Substance Use Prevention Conference Benefit Me?

August 28, 2017

Most people know about Substance Use Disorders (SUD) because the disease has affected their lives in some way, but very few people know about the Power of Prevention. ACT Missouri asked a few former conference attendees to describe how attending our conference benefits them in their varying professional fields.

Law Enforcement’s involvement in coalition work is essential to a well-balanced approach to community change. They see first-hand the havoc and devastation that SUDs cause to individuals, children, families, and communities, so it is important that they also have the first hand in prevention.

“The conference broadens an officer’s knowledge of how prevention and treatment strategies work so they can find other solutions to community problems.” Sgt. Larry Stobbs, St. Joseph Police Department

The Faith Community is also an important part of the prevention solution, and faith leaders can be very instrumental in helping struggling individuals find healing through spirituality and acceptance.

“Attending the MO Substance Use Prevention Conference, not only has a wealth of resources for how to help individuals, families and communities, it also provides basic, fundamental information that is easy to understand. Therefore, by attending this conference faith leaders can educate themselves around what Substance Use Disorders are and how best they can assist and support their communities. Armed with this information, faith leaders can now support their communities without the stigma of shame that often prevents or at best delays the help that is needed.” Reverend Darren Faulkner

“I believe the conference would be valuable for a representative from any church looking to make a difference in their community. Many churches, especially in smaller or rural communities, have limited resources, but they do have some resources! That makes it vital to see what others are doing and get ideas for ways they can contribute. Maybe they have a classroom that is only used on Sunday morning and another group needs a place to meet, or maybe retirees in the church would make good mentors. Churches must realize that the people who most need help are probably not just going to show up at church on their own, but if churches are visible and partnering in the community, faith-based solutions are an important part of the community conversation. Bringing people together at the conference is a wonderful way to get the wheels turning.” Cynthia Thomas, The General Council of the Assemblies of God

Educators spend all day with our youth and play a vital role in building resiliency and increasing protective factors.

“The 2016 Substance Use Prevention Conference was excellent. Most of the workshops were appropriate and informative for those in public education. This conference also provided the opportunity for professionals from different fields but with the common goal of improving the lives of children to network and learn.” Tommy Geeding, Nevada High School

Those who work in Juvenile Justice see how family substance use manifests in generational behavioral health complications and issues. They also can make a lasting difference for a young person in helping them to make positive choices to change the direction of their lives.

“Attending the Prevention Conference allowed me to bring back new ideas and information on how to address certain cases in various towns within the county I work in. Not every case is the same, so having new ways to approach situations is very beneficial, especially when working with juveniles. These new ideas and information have also been passed along to the various towns in the county I work in, which has limited resources, and has benefited the communities a lot as the schools and police departments have been able to work on new and improved prevention programs within their respective towns using this new information.” Christine Hannis, Deputy Juvenile Officer

These are only a few spokes on the Community Wheel that make successful prevention initiatives and coalitions. Please invite these other sectors to join the Power of Prevention: youth, parents, business and industry, media, fraternal and civic organizations, and healthcare professionals. Attending our conference is a fantastic foundation for the village it takes to raise strong, substance-free children!

April Drug Take Back – News From Around the State

May 12, 2017

Missouri Communities “Take Back” Unused Medications

Numerous communities around the state took advantage of National Prescription Drug Take Back Day on April 29th. The DEA sponsored Take Back events provide an excellent opportunity to bring together community partners and law enforcement, educate the public about the scope of prescription drug misuse, and most importantly, get dangerous medications out of the hands of our vulnerable youth.
According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse,
“Prescription drug misuse has become a large public health problem, because misuse can lead to addiction, and even overdose deaths. For teens, it is a growing problem:

After marijuana and alcohol, prescription drugs are the most commonly misused substances by Americans age 14 and older.
Teens misuse prescription drugs for a number of reasons, such as to get high, to stop pain, or because they think it will help them with school work.
Most teens get prescription drugs they misuse from friends and relatives, sometimes without the person knowing.”

In Missouri, 10% of students have misused a prescription drug in the past 30 days. Nearly 30% report that they are “very easy” or “sort of easy” to obtain, and 31% state that they got the drugs from a family or friend; 13% of whom did so without permission. Another reason to prevent prescription drug misuse, especially opioid pain killers, is its connection to heroin addiction; in fact, nearly 80% of heroin users started with prescription opioids.
One very effective medication misuse prevention strategy is to reduce access, and the DEA sponsored Take Back events are a perfect vehicle to collect unused medications and dispose of them in an environmentally friendly manner.
The DEA’s St. Louis Division includes Illinois, Iowa, Kansas, Missouri, Nebraska, and South Dakota. In the past eleven take backs since October of 2011, MO has disposed of 669,250 pounds of medication; 48% of the total collected in the six-state region! In the most recent event on April 29th, MO turned over 36,948 pounds of medication to the DEA for disposal.
Missouri’s Prevention Resource Centers provided some highlights of the events their service areas hosted. In the north-central region, the Linn County C2000 Coalition collected ten pounds, and the neighboring city of Trenton added an additional 15 pounds.

In the Kansas City area, First Call collected multiple bags of unused drugs to turn into the DEA for disposal.

In Platte, Ray, and Clay counties, all twelve of their Permanent Prescription Drug Drop Boxes participated in the event, and the most rural area in the Tri-County Mental Health region collected almost 700 pounds in a six-month time frame.
Boone County offered 8 locations for disposal; four within the city limits of Columbia, and four in the surrounding towns of Ashland, Centralia, Hallsville, and Sturgeon. Jefferson City’s Police Department accepted unwanted medications in their lobby.

In the Springfield area, six pharmacies hosted events, and despite torrential downpours, they collected a total of 1,727 pounds; their third largest amount to date!

In the Southeast, the Perryville Police Department collected 35 pounds. The Cape Girardeau County Sheriff’s Office and the Jackson Police Department also hosted Take Backs. Excessive rain and flooding caused two cities in the region to cancel their events.
The SEMO Behavioral Health region hosted three events and collaborated with the Bernie Police Department and Chamber of Commerce. The Dexter and Poplar Bluff Police Departments turned over 160 and 174 pounds respectively to the DEA for safe disposal.

One of the latest Missouri communities to place a Permanent Prescription Drug Box was in the Bootheel region in East Prairie, and despite only being open for two days, the community got the word out and collected a substantial amount of prescription drugs.

These are just a few of the highlights from around the state. If your community hosted an event, please share it with us on Social Media! If you are interested in hosting a Take Back in your community, contact ACT Missouri.

Help Your Community Shine!

March 17, 2017

One of the most gratifying aspects of being from Missouri is our strong sense of community. We handle diversity and uniformity, adversity and opportunity, victory and disappointment with a united front. Even though no two of our communities look alike, what binds us together to tackle tough issues is our concern for the well-being and health of our neighbors, especially the most vulnerable, our youth.

Achieving optimal community wellness requires taking a good, scientific look at its behavioral health. Some of the most critical social crises our citizens face are ancillary effects of substance use, mental illness, or a combination of the two. The Missouri Student Survey is one of the simplest methods to collect anonymous data from your students. With these data, your community can assess needs, identify resource gaps, work together to solve its behavioral health disparities, and celebrate its strengths.

It is entirely free for school districts and can be completed online in one class period. No individual school’s information is ever made public; however, school districts do receive a private report of the survey’s findings. In addition, your community can use this information to plan prevention and intervention strategies, apply for grants, plan a media campaign, and improve overall wellness.

If your county or school district does not currently participate, encourage them to do so today by sharing this resource.

Read the 2016 MSS Report.

Taking ACTion to Build a Healthy Missouri

What’s the Common Denominator?

What’s the Common Denominator?

2018 Substance Use Prevention Conference

The Good News is that Prevention Works!

90% of Substance Use Disorders begin in the teen years.

2018 Substance Use Prevention Conference

Check Out These Stats!

Enjoyment Factor!

So Worth It!

Contact Hours!

Who Attends?

And The Winner Is. . .

Ask Our Prevention Conference Alumni

Only $70

2018 Legislative Recap

HB 2034

HB 2280

SB 718

What, Exactly, is Prevention?

ACT Missouri proudly announces our 2018 Outstanding Youth Prevention Award Recipients!

Alcohol Awareness Month

Please share your events, stories and photos with us on Social Media!

Honoring Our Veterans

“The willingness with which our young people are likely to serve in any war, no matter how justified, shall be directly proportional to how they perceive veterans of earlier wars were treated and appreciated by our nation.” — George Washington

How Does Attending the Missouri Substance Use Prevention Conference Benefit Me?

April Drug Take Back – News From Around the State

Help Your Community Shine!

Contact Us

Prevention Resource Center Locator

Partners

Important Info